Beasts of No Nation, Cary Fukunaga's African war drama that was acquired by Netflix for $12 million, may only be shown in 200 to 250 independent theaters after Regal, AMC and Cinemark committed to boycotting the picture. The movie, starring Idris Elba, tells the story of a child soldier torn from his family to fight in a civil war in an unnamed African country.

Idris Elba heads the cast in Netflix's Beasts of No Nation

The chains have their backs up because the movie will screen online simultaneously with the theatrical release when there's usually at least a 90-day break between the two.

The BBC series will be back on screens for two special episodes later this year.

Idris Elba was all smiles yesterday (March 2nd), as he began filming scenes for two special episodes of his hit BBC detective series ‘Luther', which are set to air later this year. The 42 year old happily announced his return as the famous character on Monday, telling his 1.35 million Twitter followers ‘First day back to set of John Luther....stand by East London.’

Idris Elba on the set of 'Luther'

The actor was photographed on set in the capital filming scenes outside a terraced house, where he appeared to be scuffling with a man dressed in a suit, as well as another more casually dressed character.

The couple turned heads at the rainy London premiere, but they only had eyes for each other.

Charlize Theron accompanied boyfriend Sean Penn to the UK premiere of his new movie The Gunman on Monday night, braving the London rain to walk the red carpet together. The couple, who have known each other for 18 years but only began dating last year, looked very much in love as they held hands and posed for photographs.

Sean Penn poses with Charlize Theron at The Gunman premiere

Wearing a dark suit, 54 year old Penn walked the red carpet at the film’s premiere accompanied by his stunning girlfriend who wore a black floor length dress, which featured a halter neck and side split.

Pierce Brosnan, whom previously played 007 four times between 1995 and 2002, says the next James Bond should be played by one of two black actors: Idris Elba or Colin Salmon. The Luther star remains the heavy favourite to replace Daniel Craig as Bond though Salmon, who previously played MI6 Deputy Chief of Staff Charles Robinson, has been backed in after getting Brosnan's blessing.

Idris Elba is the heavy favorite to play James Bond

"Yeah, he would actually," Brosnan said when asked if Elba would make a good Bond. "Colin Salmon also. May the best man get the job and may Daniel bring home the bacon for as long as he wants," he added, to the Radio Times.

The network has also just renewed ‘Empire’, ‘Gotham’ and ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine' for second series

Fox has just placed an order for a ‘cast-contingent’ pilot of ‘Luther', a series based on the popular BBC drama starring Idris Elba. But the minds behind the potential series now have the unenviable task of finding someone to fill the shoes of British star Elba, who will be sticking around to executive produce the American project.

Idris Elba as 'Luther'

‘Luther’ follows the near-genius homicide detective John Luther, who posses a brilliant mind, which often isn't enough to save him from the dangerous violence of his passions. Neil Cross, who wrote and executive produced the original BBC series, will also pen the US remake.

Idris Elba is likely to be named as the new James Bond after Daniel Craig.

After weeks of speculation that Idris Elba is the main target to take over from Daniel Craig as James Bond, the man himself has finally broken his silence. Elba, a talented actor who would undoubtedly serve as an excellent 007, is, according to leaked Sony emails, the man who is most likely to take over from Craig in two movies' time.

Idris Elba is best known for playing DCI John Luther, but if Sony's chief has her way, he will take over from Daniel Craig as the next Bond

Back in November during a Reddit AMA session, Elba said he would "absolutely" take on the role of Bond if it were offered to him and the leak at Sony revealed that Amy Pascal wants the Luther man to step into 007's famous shoes. "Idris should be the next Bond", the influential studio head said.

Idris Elba is widely considered to be the favourite to play James Bond once Daniel Craig hangs up his tuxedo - and Sony emails reveal that Amy Pascal is sweet on the idea - but not everyone thinks old Stringer Bell should be sipping martinis for a living. During his news programme this week, controversial commentator Rush Limbaugh offered his two cents on the matter. Ok lets cut to the chase: Limbaugh says Elba is black, so therefore cannot play Bond.

Idris Elba is probably best known for playing DCI John Luther

"James Bond is a total concept put together by Ian Fleming. He was white and Scottish. Period. That is who James Bond is," Limbaugh said.

In the latest leaked documents from Sony, it has been revealed that studio co-chairman Amy Pascal is, or was, pushing for British actor Idris Elba to become the next James Bond once Daniel Craig finishes his reign.

Idris Elba is best known for playing DCI Luther in the BBC series

Elba has long been touted as a potential successor to Craig and it appears Amy Pascal - a woman with considerable power in the casting process - thinks so too.

According to leaked e-mails as a result of the Sony hack, the British actor has been informally suggested as Daniel Craig's replacement as 007.

Anticipation is building for the 24th instalment of the James Bond franchise when Spectre is released next year, but the series might be radically overhauled in the future as it’s been revealed that Idris Elba has been informally suggested as the next Bond.

According to the Daily Beast, interpreting information gained as a result of the recent Sony hack, the co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertaiment Amy Pascal said “Idris should be the next bond” in an e-mail back in January this year to Columbia’s former executive vice president of production Elizabeth Cantillon.

Could Idris Elba be the next person to portray 007 after Daniel Craig?

Idris Elba, who recently announced he would be returning as Luther for a new mini-series, is seemingly branching out into the world of travel. The actor will race around the world on land, sea and in the air in a new series for Discovery designed to explain the mechanics of speed.

Idris Elba will race around the world for the Discovery channel

The four-episode series that has the working title The Idris Elba Project is set to air mid-2015 on Discovery and across international markets. The actor said the show would cover his training with top engineers and racing experts.

Idris Elba will make an album based on the character he portrayed in BBC's 'Luther'

The 42 year-old actor, who played the titular character for three seasons until 2013, is planning on making an entire album inspired by the obsessive, and very intelligent, police detective, Radio Times reports. The forthcoming album's working title is 'Murder Loves John.'

Charlie Higson is best known for his comedy work, but his action-adventure 'Jekyll and Hyde' is coming to ITV in 2015.

ITV has green-lit a ten-part action adventure adaptation of 'Jekyll and Hyde', with Charlie Higson at the helm. The show is inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson's novel The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Charlie Higson's 10-part action adventure 'Jekyll & Hyde' will begin shooting in India and London next year

Higson, best known for his work on The Fast Show, said it was a "privilege" to rediscover the works. Production will begin next year in India, with filming set to continue in London until July 2015.

Idris Elba has been in the news all week, firstly for teasing the possibility of a new Luther series, secondly for signing on as executive producer of a U.S remake of Luther, and lastly, for announcing that BBC America are set to make a two-hour special of...yep, you guessed it, Luther.

Idris Elba will return as DCI John Luther in a new two-part special in 2015

And so to finish an Idris Elba packed week, we're here to tell you about 'mi Mandela', the actor's new 11-track album that celebrates South African music whilst also paying homage to his late father, Winston Elba, and Nelson Mandela.

Idris Elba is returning as DCI John Luther for a new two-part miniseries on BBC America.

Just days after Fox announced a U.S remake of Luther and Idris Elba spoke of his desire to reprise his famous detective, BBC America has confirmed that the original iteration of the drama will return for a two-part miniseries in 2015.

Idris Elba will return as DCI John Luther for a new two-part miniseries on BBC America

Elba will once again don the flecked winter coat to play DCI John Luther, a murder detective whose genius mind can't always save him from the dangerous violence of his passions. The new series will be written by original creator Neil Cross.

Fox will be hoping their U.S. rendition of 'Luther' can repeat the same award-winning success it achieved for the BBC.

Idris Elba's most famous character, DI John Luther, is getting remade for an American audience. 'Luther,' the BBC drama starring the 42 year-old actor, is being adapted by Fox with series creator Neil Cross.

According to Deadline, the network has given the series a pilot commitment, and Cross will write and executive producer the remake. However, Elba isn't going to star as the titular character, but he will also serve as an executive producer.

'You Give Me Love' featuring Maverick Sabre is the first single from Idris Elba's forthcoming album 'Mi Mandela'.

Actor and DJ Idris Elba returns to music with an elegant first single entitled 'You Give Me Love' featuring singer and rapper Maverick Sabre. The track is inspired by contemporary pop and R&B, fused with the sound of South Africa.

Idris Elba releases 'Mi Mandela' this November

'You Give Me Love' will be released as part of Idris Elba's latest musical project 'Idris Elba Presents: Mi Mandela', which incorporates both high-profile Western pop sensations; from Mumford & Sons to George The Poet; with virtually unheard of South African genius; including the Mahotella Queens and Nothembi Mkhwebane. It will be released just in time for Christmas through Elba's own label 7wallace and Parlophone Records, and marks Elba's first musical venture since 2010.

'No Good Deed' took the top spot at the box-office, though it will struggle to hold on.

No Good Deed, the twisting-turning thriller starring British actor Idris Elba, has topped the US box office with $24.5 million - a massive return considering its $13.2 million budget. The film ended Guardians of the Galaxy's four-week reign as No.1.

Idris plays Colin Evans, a prison escapee who shoots a guard and driver in the process and begins to terrorize a woman who is along with her two children.

The Expendables 3 holds its world premiere in London, as Bradley Cooper and Idris Elba shoot new films in the city. Trailers tease Bill Murray's St. Vincent, Tommy Lee Jones' new Western, Meryl Streep as a wicked witch and Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking...

After intense promotion, Guardians of the Galaxy emerged from the weekend a box office record holder. With $94 million, Guardians had the biggest August opening ever. Which begs the question – now that Chris Pratt (aka Peter Quill, aka Star Lord) is a legit movie star, will he hold on to it?

Well, he's got the heroic glare down pat.

Pratt was the only “wild card” going into the project. His previous role, on Parks & Rec, made him a fan favorite, but lacked the exposure needed to launch a successful film career.

Colin is a violent and narcissistic killer who has spent plenty of time in prison for vicious crimes, including the brutal attack on his terrified ex-girlfriend. Back in prison, he is denied parole but subsequently manages to make an escape in transit despite being handcuffed in the back of a police truck. It's a stormy night and, elsewhere, Terri is kissing her husband goodbye as he leaves her and his two children at their Atlanta home to go visit his father on his birthday. Unfortunately, he couldn't have left at a worse time as Colin manages to enter the house under the guise of a needy car crash victim. It isn't long before his violent intentions become clear, however, and Terri finds herself desperately trying to protect her children from this merciless intruder.

Kelly Rowland is pregnant! Unlike other celebrity pregnancies, the news came straight from the source this time, with the singer posting a photo on her Instagram of a baby-sized pair of Air Jordans. Aw, isn’t that the cutest product placement you’ve ever heard of?

Congrats on the baby. And the general awesomeness.

It’s been a whirlwind year for Rowland and her longtime beau, Tim Witherspoon, who just tied the knot a month ago. The couple celebrated their love with an intimate ceremony in Costa Rica on May 9.

Kelly also recently released a new single, The Game, as part of Pepsi’s World Cup visual album. The album features Rowland, alongside the likes of Janelle Monae, Rita Ora and Idris Elba, of all people, and includes audio and visual contributions, centered around the theme of, y’know, the Game. Also collaboration and togetherness, etc.

He told Buzzfeed: “I’m working very, very hard with Zak Penn. We’ve been working for a few months now in secret. We found a way to twist it around. Some people were wondering if we were going to do the prequel. I was never interested in doing that first wave of invasion,” he explained.

12 Years a Slave sucked up all the guilt so there was nothing left for 'Mandela', apparently

‘12 Years a Slave’ was, rightfully, the recipient of huge praise and numerous awards. The remarkable story of Solomon Northrup - portrayed by Chiwitel Ejiofor - was masterfully directed by Steve McQueen. But that success, suggests screenwriter William Nicholson, was to the detriment of his film, ‘Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom'.

Nicholson said ’12 Years’ "sucked up all the guilt about black people that was available” adding that he thought ‘Mandela’ “worked superbly," but Americans “were so exhausted feeling guilty about slavery that I don't think there was much left over to be nice about our film. So our film didn't do as well as we'd hoped, which was a bit heartbreaking."

Idris Elba is rumored to be playing Tupac in the upcoming biopic, but would one of these other actors be a better choice?

18 years after the murder of Tupac Shakur the rapper will be bought back to life, this time not by a hologram projector but by an actor. The Tupac biopic is finally in the works, with rumours that Idris Elba may be lined up to play the late rapper. The biopic is set to be directed by an old friend of Shakur’s, John Singleton, who has over twenty years in the business and films such as Boyz n the Hood, Baby Boy and 2 Fast 2 Furious under his belt. Singleton directed Tupac, who starred as a young postal clerk, in his 1993 film Poetic Justice, so he was well-acquainted with the rapper. Who better to direct than someone who was accustomed to the subject of the biopic?

Tupac was just 25 when he was shot and killed in Las Vegas

Singleton may be the ideal director for the project, but is Idris Elba, at 41 years old, the best choice to play the rapper, who died at 25? Idris is a supremely talented actor, so we’re sure that he’ll do a stellar job, but if casting directors need a little more choice, why not try one of this lot?

After Idris Elba's recent impromptu rap performance received less than a glowing from an onlooker, is he the right choice to play Tupac Shakur in the upcoming biopic?

Idris Elba is plenty of things, but unfortunately a natural born rapper is not one of them. The Thor: The Dark World actor has been critically acclaimed for his recent roles, including winning the Golden Globe for his performance as tough man police detective Luther in the BBC drama series as well as a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as Nelson Madela in 2013’s Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

Idris Elba may be set to play rapper Tupac in the upcoming biopic movie

The versatile actor has also achieved international success starring in blockbuster movies including Thor, Pacific Rim and Prometheus as well as, believe it or not, having a rather successful sideline career DJing. Under the moniker DJ Big Driis, or alternatively Big Driis the Londoner, Elba, has DJed all over the world in some of the biggest nightclubs. What we’re trying to say here is that no one doubts that the guy’s got many talents.

Disney's new Jungle Book is the talk of the town, but what can we expect from the upcoming movie?

Another childhood classic we all know and love is headed for a complete reboot, but what do we need to know about Disney’s new Jungle Book movie?

Who's writing it?

The new script will be written by Justin Marks, who made his debut with Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, in 2009. Street Fighter may not have blown away fans or critics, but don’t despair, Marks has since proven himself worthy to Disney with his script draft of 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea. The latter may have been dropped until further notice, but it’s clear that Disney has faith in Marks to do justice to the script of their new Jungle Book movie.

'The Wire' star impressed critics with his performance as late humanitarian Nelson Mandela, with our own critic Rich Cline describing him as having 'enormous presence. with the right physicality and charisma', but it seems that it just hasn't been enough at this year's Globes. The movie was nominated for a remarkable four awards and did manage to land Best Original Song - Motion Picture; an award which went to U2 for 'Ordinary Love'.

Based on his autobiography, this film is clearly designed to be the definitive film about Nelson Mandela. And it tells his remarkable story with skill, tracing his life from 25 to 75 while touching on why he's perhaps the most important figure of the past century. So it's no wonder that the film feels far too constructed and polished.

It starts in his Xhosa village birthplace, then follows Nelson (Elba) to Johannesburg in the 1940s as a sparky young lawyer with a loving wife (Pheto) and children. But the vicious injustice of Apartheid gets under his skin, and as he starts speaking out and taking action, his marriage falls apart. South Africa's government responds to protests by cracking down even further, so Nelson's African National Congress turns to violence. As a result, its leaders are sentenced to hard labour on Robben Island. Now married to the outspoken Winnie (Harris) with two more daughters, Nelson is sent away for life. But he refuses to let bitterness gain a foothold, and devises a way for the nation to peacefully transition into democracy.

Mandela's legacy lies in his wisdom and open-mindedness, avoiding a bloodbath by seeking reconciliation rather than revenge. And these themes play an important role in Nicholson's script, which of course has to condense the events drastically, even for a two-and-a-half hour movie. But all of the key moments are here, and even if the film sometimes feels like it's racing through them, there's plenty of subtext for the actors to grab hold of.

The 92 year-old Duke of Edinburgh knows how to rock a double-breasted suit. Find out the which other stylish chaps - with some surprises - were named.

GQ Magazine have released their 'Best Dressed' list for the coming year and amongst some predictable entries, including Benedict Cumberbatch and David Beckham, there have been a few surprises, most notably the inclusion of Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, AKA the Queen's hubbie.

Prince Philip Has Made It On To GQ's Best Dressed List.

A mixture of magazine staff and experts helped compile the year's list of the most style savvy celebs and judged that Prince Philip "deserves yet another medal - for his services to classic British tailoring." Whilst we don't deny that the blunder-prone royal always looks sharp and dashing in his suits, tailcoats, and expertly knotted ties, his name's occurrence on the list comes as a surprise perhaps because of his reclusion from the media glare.

The actor's experience playing the late, great leader will manifest in an album.

Idris Elba’s turn as Nelson Mandela became infinitely more pertinent in the context of the great man’s death on December 5th after a long and ultimately unsuccessful battle against illness. He was 95.

Idris Elba (left) stars as Nelson Mandela, with Naomie Harris (right) playing his companion and Winnie

The Wire actor was tremendously honoured to take on the role, and despite the film being criticized for trying to fit too much into a feature, his performance has been lauded - and all this while he was producing an album about the late South African hero.

This week's news was dominated by the tragic deaths of Paul Walker and Nelson Mandela, but there was some good news in the movie world with X-Men Apocalypse set for 2016, and the Amazing Spider-Man 2 trailer hitting the web.

Paul Walker Dead: Tributes have been pouring in this week for the late actor Paul Walker, who died in a car crash in Los Angeles on Saturday (November 30). His friend's Porsche Carrera GT crashed into a tree and burst into flames. Read all the tributes here.

Long Walk to Freedom: This week also marked the sad passing of Nelson Mandela, who died after a long illness. Actor Idris Elba plays the legendary figure in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and he's been chatting about his preparations for playing one of greatest leaders in history. Read what Elba had to say here.

The British actor was voted as the 'Sexiest Man Alive' by Glamour magazine

Henry Cavill has topped the latest poll by Glamour magazine to determine the '100 Sexiest Men Alive.' The Man of Steel actor took the top spot from four-time winner of the accolade Robert Pattinson, who after four consecutive years of being declared the world's biggest hunk, fell down to number two this year.

Henry Cavill is apparently the sexiest man alive

The Twilight-star has long been a favourite for the magazine when compiling their yearly list of sexiest men, but this year the spandex-wearing DC superhero Cavill proved too dashing to ignore, as he leaped to the top spot. Cavill was chosen as the sexiest man alive by the magazine on the back of his successful turn as Superman in the blockbuster Man of Steel, with his chiselled abs and facial features probably going some way towards securing his spot at the top of the poll too.

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Vin Diesel lead the tributes following the star's sudden passing

Following the tragic passing of actor Paul Walker earlier this week, there has been an outpouring of emotion from Hollywood on behalf of the 40-year-old actor. A number of celebrities have taken to their social media accounts to send their condolences to Walker's family and pay tribute to the fallen star.

Paul's death has shocked Hollywood, and the rest of the world

Walker and his friend, Roger Rodas, both died in the fiery crash on Saturday, 30 November, after Rodas lost control of his Porsche Carrera GT and crashed it into a light post and a tree. The car burst into flames upon impact and both Walker and Rodas were pronounced dead at the scene. The crash occurred as the pair were leaving a fundraising event for Walker's charity Reach Out Worldwide, which was aiming to raise money for the victims of Typhoon Haiyan at the time.

'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' has its faults, though it is held together by a stunning performance from Idris Elba.

Mandela: A Long Walk To Freedom, the Weinstein's biopic based on the autobiography of South African President Nelson Mandela, has received mixed reviews from critics ahead of its release this weekend, though Idris Elba's stunning performance as the President should see him in line for nominations during awards' season.

Justin Chadwick's movie chronicles the early life of Mandela, his coming-of-age, education and the 27 years he spent on Robben Island, as well as his attempt to rebuild the country's once segregated society.

The comic actor also took home the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award For Excellence In Comedy award

Sacha Baron Cohen not only left the Beverly Hilton with the highest honour awarded for comedy by the BAFTA-LA ‘s annual Britannia Awards, but also left with the audience either still in shock or holding on to their sides with laughter following an inspired practical joke. Los Angeles' British alliance was out in force for the Saturday (9 Nov.) night ceremony, and there were even a few non-Brit Hollywood heavyweights doing their best to pretent to be from the other side of the Atlantic for the awards show.

Airing on BBC America on Sunday (10 Nov.) night, host Rob Brydon had the job of handling the more raucous than usual crowd, which had plenty to do with Cohen's stunt. It began when Salma Hayek came on stage with an elderly woman to present the Charlie Chaplin Britannia Award For Excellence In Comedy award. Confined to a wheelchair, she was identified as Grace Collington, an actress she said appeared with Charlie Chaplin in 1931′s City Lights when she was just 5-years-old. She very believably told the audience, “At 87, she’s the oldest surviving actor to have worked with Chaplin in a silent movie,” at which point Cohen climbed to the stage to accept the honour. The elderly woman presented Cohen with one of Chaplin's trademark canes, at which point Cohen pushed her from the stage and began his acceptance speech as 'Collington' lied motionless on the ground.

It was time for the Harper’s Bazaar Women of the Year Awards 2013 in London on Tuesday night (November 5, 2013) at the famous Claridge’s hotel. The likes of Rita Ora, Victoria Beckham and Mick Jagger turned out for the ceremony, but it was Jourdan Dunn, Cate Blanchett and Idris Elba who were the big winners.

Rita Ora and Jourdan Dunn pose for the photographers outside Claridges at the Harper's Bazaar Women of the Year Awards. Rita Ora came away with the prize for Musician of the Year, while Joudan clinched the Model of the Year prize 2013. Well done girls!

Thor: The Dark World is nearing its US release – Friday, November 8th, as the primary contender for the weekend box office. In the UK, where the movie was released last week, it raked in an impressive £8.65 million on opening night and £5.54 million over its first weekend. Those are impressive numbers and nearly double those of the movie in second place, but the film’s overall European takings are even more stunning. The film was a number 1 release in several countries, including France, Germany and Spain taking $109.4 million worldwide in its first weekend.

The film expands on the love/hate relationship betweet Thor and Loki.

Thor: The Dark World tracks the struggles and enemies that Marvel’s Thor has to face,following the events of The Avengers (or The Avengers Assemble in the UK.) Starring Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman, the film also boasts a star-studded British cast, including Tom Hiddleston, who returns as Loki, Idris Elba, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Christopher Eccleston in his debut appearance within the franchise. While a lot of the story takes place on Asgard, several key scenes from the movie were filmed on location in London.

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is set to premiere in South Africa with the blessing of the man himself.

The Nelson Mandela biopic Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom, saw its most important premiere event recently – a screening in South Africa, attended by the man himself. Mandela spent 27 years in prison for his anti-apartheid activism. After his release, Mandela led South Africa through a difficult transition to its first racially inclusive elections in 1994, a historic event that propelled him to the presidency and inspired many around the world.

According to a report by the AP, Anant Singh, the movie’s South African producer claimed that Mandela enjoyed the screening, at one point asking: "Is that me?" about a heavily made up Idris Elba, who stars in Long Walk to Freedom. Elba reportedly had to sit in the makeup chair for five hours before each filming. Naomie Harris, who plays Mandela’s ex wife and Winnie Mandela, had to go through a similar routine.

The actor was traveling to Johannesburg to attend the premiere of his new film 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom'

Idris Elba has been admitted to a unspecified UK hospital after suffering an asthma attack whilst on his way to the premiere of new film Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. The Brit-actor suffered the attack whilst on board the plane, but was able to be removed from the aircraft whilst it was still in the UK and taken to a near-by hospital to recover.

Long Walk to Freedom has been given mixed reviews

Elba, who stars alongside fellow Brit Naomie Harris (who plays his wife Winnie Mandela) in the film, was forced to miss a press conference due to take place upon his arrival earlier today (2 Nov.), however producers have said that they remain confident that the star will be able to fly out and attend the premiere of the film on Sunday, 3 November, according to Sky News.

Marvel can't help itself: these movies have to get bigger and crazier. And this one leaves us wondering where they can possibly go next, as it spirals into a madly funny-scary thriller that threatens the existence of the whole universe. But it also feels like a story children would make up as they go along. Still, the sparky characters and wildly cataclysmic approach are hugely entertaining.

The action picks up right after the Battle of New York (see 2012's The Avengers), and scientist Jane (Portman) is miffed that Thor (Hemsworth) didn't call when he was back on Earth. She has just started dating a nebbish Londoner (O'Dowd) when her assistant Darcy (Dennings) stumbles into a spatial anomaly that draws Jane right into the middle of a 5,000-year-old struggle between Thor's home-realm Asgard and the dark elf Malekith (Eccleston), who wants to use a swirling goo called the Aether to plunge all of existence into blackness just as the universe aligns itself. As this convergence approaches, Thor defies his father Odin (Hopkins) and turns to his disgraced, malicious brother Loki (Hiddleston) for help.

The film is overcrowded with small but pivotal characters, including stern but helpful gatekeeper Heimdall (Elba), mad-doctor Erik (Skarsgard) and Odin's wise wife Frigga (Russo). All of them help distract us from the movie's wildly shifting tone as it darts from sardonic comedy to Lord of the Rings-style battles to silly romance to dark emotion. But the best thing is the tense, unpredictable relationship between Thor and Loki, an enjoyable mixture of sibling rivalry and brotherly love that's well-played by Hemsworth and especially Hiddleston. None of the other characters really has a chance to develop around them. But at least the actors have fun with their roles, including a number of hilarious cameos along the way (there are also two post-credit stings).

The Toronto Film Festival has grown into one of the most important events in the movie calendar. Following the prestigious and glamorous Cannes and Venice festivals, it’s the sheer scale of Toronto’s slate that gives it its Oscars precursor status. As we wrote in our – admittedly early – Academy preview, this year’s competition is stronger than ever.

Of course, Toronto is famous for exposing a number of talents via their independent cinema; it doesn’t just cater for the mainstream. But when a film stuns at the Canadian fest, Oscars buzz is hot on its heels.

We take a look at the front-runners and underdogs for next year's Oscars ceremony.

Six months of anticipation for four hours of award giving: that’s what you signed up for. The Oscars 2014 has its host, and now it has its favorites. Which director will be hurtling through an acceptance speech at breakneck speed, and which actor will be practising their sad-yet-humble loser face?

Anyone who enjoys curling up on the sofa in front of the BBC’s Luther will be disappointed; you’ll have to put some clothes on and head to the cinema to see Idris Elba’s next incarnation as the maverick cop, as a Luther movie is in production. You can always wait for it to come out on DVD, but then you’d miss Elba’s smooth head on the big screen, the decisions being made inside it, etc. etc.

Idris Elba ponders some hard decisions in the TV version of Luther

Neil Cross revealed the movie’s progress talking to the Edinburgh Television Festival. "I've written the script and we hope to get the film made next year," he said. "Idris is a brilliant leading man and we've hoped to turn Luther into a movie for a long time. It will follow his career in the earlier days, when he is still married to Zoe, and the final scene in the film is the first of the initial TV series." (BBC)

Marvel's Thunder God, Thor returns in the latest superhero blockbuster, Thor: The Dark World (sequel to self titled film: Thor) where he must face his greatest battle to save Earth and all nine realms 'from a Darkness known only to one' lead by the feared Malekith. Thor must risk everything by reuniting with his brother and Avengers Villian: Loki in order to protect his beloved Jane Foster in what promises to be the most thrilling Thor adventure yet.

The highly anticipated Nelson Mandela biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, will premiere in Canada at the Toronto Film Festival. The film – already collecting Oscar momentum – sees Idris Elba take the leading role, with Naomie Harris in a supporting role as Winnie Mandela.

Elba and Harris star in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

"As soon as we saw it, we knew that it would set the right tone for opening night. It's a movie about what we thought is one of the most important issues of the day - information and who controls it," said Cameron Bailey, the festival's artistic director.

Warning: Spoilers ahead. Last night’s Luther season finale might have been jam-packed with exciting twists and turns, but there’s only one thing anyone really wants to talk about: Alice is back. Fan excitement over the return of Luther’s brilliant anti-hero piqued and spilled out into various social networks last night, as Alice returned for an episode of high tension and superb dialogue. Seriously, the line “Some little girls grow up wanting ponies... I wanted to be a widow" should probably go down in TV writing history.

Apparently, even President Obama is rooting for Luther's return.

As usual, the episode offered precious little information about Alice’s life away from Luther, prompting fans to rally around the old cry “Spinoff!” Aside from Alice’s return, this episode was the usual hectic jumble of darkness and angry screaming men, but a few moments did stand out. A particularly satisfying one – in a gruesome, bloodthirsty way – was George Stark’s all-too-timely death. Justice wasn’t completely served, since it wasn’t Luther that did him in, but still – balance was restored. Mostly. Sort of.

A string of impressive performances have put Elba in a strong position.

It’s been less than a meteoric rise to the top for Idris Elba, rather a slow slog, with plenty of hard work and adapting in between. He’s been a top-level drug lord in HBO’s The Wire, Captain Janek in Prometheus and Stacker Pentecost in Guillermo del Toro’s action epic, Pacific Rim.

Elba ponders things on Luther

British audiences know him for his turn as Luther in the crime drama of the same name, while U.S folks will recognize him as Stringer Bell. Soon, though, the world will know him as Nelson Mandela in Mandela, a film for which he’s already being touted as Oscar material for.

The trailer for the biographical movie was released in tandem with the former South African leader's 95th birthday

In what was definitely a well-timed publicity stunt that had long been discussed, the trailer for Idris Elba's star turn as Nelson Mandela was released in cinemas (and later online) the coincide with the former South African ruler's 95th birthday this Thursday (July 18). The first full trailer for Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom is one filled with gravitas and a powerful performance, giving potential audiences their first proper look at the biopic.

Elba looks like a prime candidate for Best Actor at the 2014 Oscars

The two-and-a-half minute clip gives us a relatively comprehensive look into the life and work of the iconic South African freedom fighter, with Elba taking on the young Mandela during his first brushes with the law and his meeting with future wife Winnie (Naomie Harris), before being sentenced to a lengthy prison term and eventual fight back against the system - all with K'Naan's 'Wavin' Flag' serving as the soundtrack.

A Luther movie has been mooted for a while now, with British audiences desperate for their favorite crime drama to be realised on the big screen. But it’s not just the fans who want it done; the show’s star, Idris Elba is keen for it to happen too, as he’s been explaining to IGN.

Elba wants a Luther movie, which isn't surprising

“There’s a massive possibility ‘cos I’ve been talking to Neil [Cross] about it for the last year,” he explained. “I think we’re finally got into the place, ‘right we’re going more forward with it’” Luther is currently enjoying its third season, which is made up of longer episodes, suggesting that the show would slide into film form without much work.

'Grown Ups 2' has beaten off 'Pacific Rim' in the US Weekend Box Office. 'Despicable Me 2' remains at No.1 for the second week since its release. New releases, due on 19th July, may alter the somewhat stagnant Box Office next week.

Critics may have universally panned Adam Sandler's latest comedic contribution yet it's somehow managed to beat the other new release, Pacific Rim, in the US Weekend Box Office (12th-14th July). Despicable Me 2 topped the Box Office charts for the second week in a row.

Trap For Cinderella - based on the novel Piège pour Cendrillon by Sébastien Japrisot – stars Tuppence Middleton, Alexandra Roach, Kerry Fox, Aneurin Barnard, Frances de la Tour. It tells the story of two friends torn apart by a tragic fire, leaving one dead and one severely disfigured, both physically and mentally as she suffers from severe amnesia. But has the solid cast and an intriguing plot translated into a good movie?

Sadly not: the critics are still weighing in on this one, but early indications would suggest that this is a wasted opportunity from Iain Softley, the British director behind the film. “There's a very classy cast in supporting roles (Kerry Fox, Frances de la Tour, Alex Jennings) but this fails to come alive,” suggests Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian. “Maybe a Hitchcock or Chabrol could have made something gripping from the melodrama and mystery of it all but this feels workmanlike and obvious,” says the Daily Express’s Allan Hunter.

Idris Elba's performance as Nelson Mandela is already generating Oscar buzz. The mysterious trailer suggests the Weinstein Company could have something special on its hands.

Idris Elba is the man to beat the 2014 Academy Awards for his portrayal of South African President Nelson Mandela, according to the bookmakers, anyway. Elba's star has risen in recent years thanks to BBC series Luther, rumors of the James Bond role and a role in Guillermo Del Toro's latest blockbuster Pacific Rim.

The first trailer for upcoming biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom - from The Other Boleyn Girl director Justin Chadwick - rolled out online this week and features a startling, if limited, first look at Hackney-born Elba's performance "No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin. People learn to hate. They can be taught to love for love comes more naturally to the human heart," goes the spine-tingling voiceover as Mandela moves across the valley. It appears Elba - wearing Mandela's signature yellow shirt - has got the President's poise down to a tee.

Nelson Mandela was a South African anti-apartheid revolutionary and the first black President of South Africa when he was elected in 1994 after spending 27 long years behind bars under the conviction of sabotage and plotting to overthrow the government. He has been a symbol of hope to the world and has received more than 250 awards, including the Nobel Peace Prize, for his efforts to restore peace and brotherhood between the white man and the black man. Now, at the grand age of 94, he is peacefully looking towards the end of his life and what better way to pay tribute to this extraordinary individual than to document his life story in film to remind the world just how important this man was to the history of humankind.

This dramatic biopic has been adapted from Mandela's 1994 autobiography 'Long Walk to Freedom' which documented his childhood, growing up, his education and his harrowing life in prison before being welcomed on his release as a hero. It has been directed by Justin Chadwick ('The Other Boleyn Girl', 'The First Grader') and written by William Nicholson ('Les Misérables', 'Gladiator', 'Nell') and will hit UK cinemas next year on January 3rd 2014.

Apart from the epic set pieces, which saw huge robots fighting huge monsters from the deep, one of the best things about Pacific Rim were Charlie Day and Ron Perlman’s exchanges. Day - an eccentric scientist whose brilliance is only hampered by his own shortcomings – and Perlman – an imperious black-market oligarch with the gold-tipped shoes and outlandish outfit to match – enjoy possibly the best-scripted scenes in the film, so much so that they’re featured heavily in the trailer.

Perlman at the Pacific Rim premiere

"I got the impression that that character was supposed to be played by someone of a different ethnicity," says Perlman on the role to The Guardian, "and when Guillermo took over, he thought how about if we went with a completely oversized Jew from New York who dressed like PT Barnum, a purveyor of all things materialistic? It took a character that's completely full of shit to start with, then added a whole other layer of full of shit-ness, a double dose."

The best thing about this massive blockbuster is the way it updates the classic Japanese monster movie to the 21st century, with a first-rate cast and staggeringly good effects. Sadly, the script isn't up to scratch, throwing in enjoyable comedy and corny melodrama while maintaining such a formulaic structure that there isn't a single moment of actual suspense. We never doubt for a second how all of this is going to end or who will survive.

It all begins in the present day, as gigantic creatures called kaiju appear through a temporal rift in the Pacific Ocean floor near Hong Kong. They start attacking cities (inexplicably starting with San Francisco), and humanity takes years to fight back, building massive robots called jaegers that are piloted by two-man teams. Over even more years of fighting, the monsters learn how to stop the jaegers, so military leader Pentecost (Elba) assembles his best jaeger pilots in Hong Kong, including the haunted Becket (Hunnam) and father-son Aussie duo Herc and Chuck (Martini and Kazinsky). And as they plan their assault, the scientist Newt (Day) makes a startling discovery about the kaiju.

Most of the film is played as a massively over-serious action movie in which manly, muscly heroes set out to save the planet. The relational melodrama always feels like a distraction, including Pentecost's assistant (Kikuchi), who wants to be a pilot and carries a torch for Becket. There's also a dose of bromance as Newt tries to loosen up his so-British sidekick (Gorman). And to help spice things up, we also get some comic relief from Perlman, who is hilarious as a swaggering black-market dealer. None of these characters is very complicated, but the gifted actors all do what they can with the roles.

Before Guillermo Del Toro’s Pacific Rim was released, Michael Bay seemed to take a little pot-shot at him, bemoaning all the ‘rip-off’ robot movies around and imploring fans of that genre to stick with Transformers – the franchise he brought to the big screen with a huge budget back in 2007. The thing is, Bay's movies took tons and tons of cash at the box office. The first, in 2007, took over $700 million. The second took more, while the third took over $1 billion.

The Kaiju are a formidable foe

Pacific Rim got nowhere near the Transformers movies following its opening week at the box-office. According to the Hollywood Reporter, it opened to around $37 million - a troubling number given the tentpole's massive $190 million-plus budget, not including a pricey marketing campaign.

Guillermo Del Toro's big-budget sci-fi action movie Pacific Rim should have been horrible. I mean, it really should have been horrible. It costs hundreds of millions to make, it's about monstrous creatures called Kaiju rising from the sea and beginning a war with humanity and, well, it's called Pacific Rim - which just sounds weird.

The problem is, it's not that horrible, apparently. Critics have been weighing in on del Toro's movie for the past couple of days and the consensus appears to be that the Mexican filmmaker has done a pretty good job. "Pacific Rim is just the kind of big-ticket sci-fi adventure you'd want del Toro to make -- provided you'd want him to make one at all," said Stephanie Zacharek of the Village Voice. Matthew Toomey of ABC Radio Brisbane was the most effusive in his praise for the all-action film, he said: "I'd strongly argue that Pacific Rim is one of the more memorable, distinctive action releases in recent years."

Ian Nathan of Empire magazine continued the plaudits, "Del Toro is giving scope to a boyhood lust for mayhem, the multi-million-dollar equivalent of kicking over sandcastles and torturing insects. There is something infectiously juvenile in that. Catch his Drift and you'll have a brawl," he said.

So there's the question. What links one of the Hollywood's most famous directors - Guillermo Del Toro - with British band Keane? Well, we're going to tell you. It's the wave. The Hokusai wave, of course. The new movie is set in a near future where soldiers pilot giant mecha into battle against invading giant monsters who have risen from the sea. Sounds mental doesn't it?

Clearly, there's been plenty of varied inspiration for Pacific Rim though probably none more than the work of Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai, particularly his famous print The Great Wave off Kanagawa. Created in the 1820s, the striking image of a crashing wave is one of the most famous pieces of Japanese art - you'll know. "I would say 'Give me a Hokusai wave,' " del Toro told Variety of his inspiration. "I think (the vfx team) did a tremendous job; we use the waves and weather in the movie very operatically."

Hokusai's famed image has inspired tons of artists, including the English rock band Keane whose 2006 album Under the Iron Sea took inspiration from the image for the artwork. The album went in at No.1 on the UK chart and No.4 on the Billboard 200. It has since sold 3,000,000 copies worldwide.

Idris Elba stars in this sci fi blockbuster, but is it worth the admission fee?

Guillermo Del Toro missed out on his chance to helm The Hobbit films, with the Tolkien-experienced Peter Jackson getting the nod. Now the Mexican film maker has had his hands on a multi-million Hollywood Blockbuster, but has he made the most of it?

The premise is simple: huge monsters are emerging from the depths of the ocean – a kind of portal to another world deep in the sea – and attacking populated cities, causing millions of death. The humans, that’s us; we then develop huge fighting robots, which require two soldiers fighting as one via a neural handshake, as they call it. Surprisingly, the critics haven’t slated it, but it hasn't been unanimously praised, either.

If you've been frantically refreshing Rotten Tomatoes for reviews of Guillermo Del Toro's monsters versus robots movie Pacific Rim, than quit it. Though the movie has garnered some negative press stateside with low tracking numbers, executives at Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros will have been doing huge freeze-frame high fives all around the office this morning after a certain rapper with a certain new album out gave the movie a gushing mini-review.

After a screening of Pacific Rim this week, Kanye Westtook to Twitter to tell his 9 million followers, "I saw a pre-screening of Pacific Rim yesterday and it's easily one of my favorite movies of all time," he wrote on Thursday, "This is not another 'Robot' movie.Guillermo del Toro is a master." Though marketers behind the movie will be bashing their heads against keyboards trying to figure out why they didn't think of 'This is not another Robot movie' for the tagline, it's generally good news all round for a movie that costs an eye-popping $180 million to make. Cinematic audiences appear to be shunning the blockbusters this summer in favour of feel-good animated movies (see Despicable Me 2, The Lone Ranger), though Pacific Rim has little to beat in terms of debuts. It goes up against Sony's Adam Sandler comedy Grown Ups 2 on July 12 which will undoubtedly pull in the crowds, though won't run away with the box-office top spot.

And so epic was the film, the stars believe they’re ready for any sort of apocalypse that might or might not strike the earth. “Yeah I’d be ready, because I’m the commander of the ship,” says the film’s lead star, Idris Elba when asked if he’s ready to deal with the movie’s events in real life.

Luther has proved to be a smash hit. It combines a gritty, urban British setting, sick and twisted protagonists and the languid, dulcet tones of the honey-throated maverick cop, Idris Elba. No wonder a feature length movie is being talked about now the show is in its third season, then.

Elba looking cool at London's Leicester Square

Taking the crime drama from the small screen shouldn’t be too difficult logistically; the current season is split into four one-hour episodes, and the average length for a multifaceted crime film is around two hours – all they need is a solid story. But for Elba, the issue isn’t with the practicalities, but the current state of the movie business.

It's not all about the aliens and giant robots, but there's plenty of that, to be sure.

With nine days left until Pacific Rim hits theatres, Guillermo Del Toro and co. have graced us with the final trailer. It’s big, it’s bad, it features something that sounds vaguely like dubstep, that much you’d expect. So what’s different this time. Well, cast your eyes back to the first theatrical trailer for the film. If you’re anything like most of us on the internet, it featured two of the things that get your heart racing – giant monsters and giant robots. Don’t ask why, it simply happens and it’s a fact for any 10-year-old kid as much as any adult with a soft spot for sci-fi/video games/high-budget action flicks/any of the above. Here, see for yourself.

Some speculation has suggested Craig would follow Mendes out of the door, with Idris Elba coming in as a replacement, though it now appears the high profile duo are back for a new movie. According to Deadline.com, Mendes and the producers got back in touch recently and agreed that the director could work through his theatre commitments before starting production on the new Bond film next year.

It will be great news for fans of Daniel Craig as Bond. Since his first outing in Casino Royale, the British star has played a more vulnerable version of the ruthless agent, even appearing physically incapable of the job in some segments of Skyfall. The change of direction for the character has led to the often tongue-in-cheek overly sexualised franchise developing into an intelligent spy story with action, humor and crisp cinematography.

Thor has had a pretty rough couple of years, what with battling his adoptive brother Loki and other enemies in The Avengers, but he's dusted himself down and is back for more. In Thor: The Dark World, the hammer wielding hero returns to Earth to reunite with his beloved Jane Foster, played here by Natalie Portman, and whisks her back to his home in Asgard.

Of course, living happily ever after would be too easy (and a little boring) and Thor unfortunately brings Jane back to terrible danger. A dark race led by the ruthless Malekith plans to plunge the entire universe into oblivion, leaving Thor to confront his imprisoned brother for help. The new movie is the sequel to Kenneth Branagh's 2011 movie and is set some time after Joss Whedon's The Avengers. Based on the comic books of Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby, Thor 2 is helmed by a new director in Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones, Mad Men) though is penne d by returning screenwriter Don Payne (Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer) alongside Christopher Yost (The Avengers) and Stephen McFeely (The Chronicles of Narnia).